Mushroom Spinach Stuffed Shells – VEGAN

Man, I use to make some bangin’ stuffed shells years and years ago, before we were vegan and I have no idea why I went so long before making a vegan version. There is no better pair than mushrooms and spinach, so the question on what to fill them with was easily answered! These Mushroom Spinach Stuffed Shells are even better than the old ones… taste, health, and cruelty wise! Can’t beat that, if you ask me!

First things first, cook the jumbo shells according to the package directions, usually about 10 minutes. Drain and set them aside to cool. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

While the shells are cooling, you need to make the vegan ricotta. This is simply just putting a block of firm tofu (drained and cut into quarters, but pressing isn’t necessary) in a food processor with lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and salt until well combined. Alternatively you can use a potato masher, and mash and mix until it’s well combined and resembles ricotta cheese, but it is a bit more work that way.

Then, pull off any large stems from your fresh spinach and discard. Chop into smaller pieces. Chop your mushrooms as well. I chopped them into smaller bits, as I found that to make it easier in stuffing the shells.

In a large mixing bowl, add the vegan ricotta, chopped spinach and mushrooms, vegan mozzarella (setting 1 cup aside), onion and garlic powder, and Italian seasoning and stir until well combined.*You can also add in 1 medium, chopped, onion and 2 minced garlic cloves, sauteed until soft and golden for an extra pop of flavor, if you’d like.

Assembly and Bake

Now, pour a little marinara sauce on the bottom of the pan; enough to just cover the bottom. Then, just stuff those shells with your filling and lay them in a single layer on a 9×13 baking dish. Pour the remaining marinara sauce over the top and cover with aluminum foil.

Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, top with remaining mozzarella, and return to the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Remove from oven, serve and ENJOY!